Jun 22, 2026, 3:40 PM CT
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The Democratic primary in the race for governor is starting to heat up. With just 50 days to go before Aug. 11, Dan Shafer joined host Bianca Martin at City Cast Madison to talk about the state of the race.
Topics include: The big picture of the race, takeaways coming out of the state party’s convention, data centers emerging as a big issue in this year’s campaign, and much more.
You can find the podcast on City Cast Madison here. Listen on Apple Podcasts here, or stream on Spotify or YouTube embedded below.
This podcast was recorded last week, and that means it was before Missy Hughes dropped out of the race and endorsed Sara Rodriguez.
A couple quick takeaways on that development:
Hughes’ bid was always more of a longshot, but she has a strong record turning around the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation after Scott Walker left it in shambles. She was part of picking up the pieces, re-negotiating the disaster of a Foxconn deal and taking over a state agency that was in constant turmoil. There was the basis of a compelling campaign there, and being from outside of Milwaukee and Madison was always going to set her apart in a way that could be advantageous for her.
It was also an interesting move when she supported the surplus spending deal with most Democrats opposed. While that may have generated some earned media, it didn’t translate into actual support. It had become quite clear that she wouldn’t win.
Her endorsement of Rodriguez continues the positive momentum for the lieutenant governor’s campaign. Internal polling (first reported here!) showed her in the top three, and rising with an “informed” vote poll; she won the WisPolitics straw poll at the Democratic Party of Wisconsin’s convention; and now she’s the first candidate to be endorsed by someone who dropped out.
I also don’t think Hughes suspending her campaign is necessarily a sign of moderates consolidating to take on Francesca Hong or Mandela Barnes, I think it’s just the candidate polling at or near the bottom of a seven-person race recognizing reality and making the right call.
Hughes put herself out there, and will be someone to watch in Wisconsin politics going forward, but not for this primary.
More of my most recent thoughts on the state of the race here, ICYMI:
Dan Shafer is a journalist from Milwaukee who writes and publishes The Recombobulation Area. In 2024, he and the publication joined Civic Media, where he is currently a Contributing Editor. He’s written for The New York Times, The Daily Beast, Heartland Signal, Belt Magazine, WisPolitics, and Milwaukee Record. He previously worked at Seattle Magazine, Seattle Business Magazine, the Milwaukee Business Journal, Milwaukee Magazine, and BizTimes Milwaukee. He’s won 24 Milwaukee Press Club Excellence in Journalism Awards. He’s on Twitter at @DanRShafer.
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Follow Dan Shafer on Twitter at @DanRShafer, at BlueSky at @danshafer.bsky.social, and on Threads at @danshafer.
